Employee Spotlight: Mary Beltran

At the first glance, she embodies courtesy and grace. A quick chat reveals more than what meets the eye. Her experiences are rooted in both the East and the West.

In winter 2010, Mary Beltran and her family took their first steps in Canada with both hope and uncertainty. She had not only left a high paying job, but also her dream of becoming an industrial engineer back in the Philippines.

Being the only girl in the family and having attended an all-girl catholic school meant several restrictions. So much so that she was forced to give up her engineering ambitions because the school of her choice was co-ed. Her father however got her enrolled into a psychology program instead. “If I could go back in the past, I would become an engineer,” she says.

Her first few years in Canada were difficult. After volunteering for several years, Mary landed her first job as a human resource staff at Scotiabank’s corporate audit department where she developed full understanding of Canadian work culture. Her skills got noticed soon and she was hired by a private recruitment agency where she was promoted to an HR and Administrative Officer position within a short span of 2 years.

“I gained valuable knowledge of the hiring processes and HR best practices in Canada,” she says. Adding, how her skills were even recognized by one of her resume writing clients who offered to hire her as an executive assistant to the Solicitor of the Town of Richmond Hill.

Her career took a firmer shape when she started working with Newcomer Women’s Services in 2016. She recalls her experience with NEW as a fulfilling one. Over the past 2 years, Mary has helped find jobs for hundreds of clients coming from across the world. “I want to help people find sustainable employment in which they can grow,” she says.

From being a volunteer to finding a job and finally working a fulfilling job, Mary has come a long way since she arrived in Canada. Her experiences and hard work helped propel her career, but she does agree that many others do not find suitable employment. “I strive to change that. I was a newcomer myself at one point and I can relate to their problems. At NEW, my aim is to be able to connect talented individuals and internationally educated professionals to meaningful jobs,” she says.